Paris Cabbies and Uber Are Clashing—Again

Taxi drivers in France have once more gone on strike—shutting down roads, demonstrating across Paris, and blocking access to major airports and railway stations, according to French media reports. At least 2,000 drivers took part in the protests, and police have arrested 20 so far.

The latest demonstrations coincided with a broader nationwide demonstration against France’s government, including a walkout by air traffic controllers that disrupted flights and a protest by teachers during the school day.

But according to journalists on the ground, the taxi protests were by far the most volatile: Security forces reportedly fired teargas at crowds to try to maintain order, and television footage in western Paris showed demonstrators burning tires and blocking several lanes of traffic.

Taxi unions say Uber and other ride-hailing apps create unfair competition and are not adequately policed. “Unfortunately, the governments are weak and as unemployment is pressuring them, they give in,” Karim Asnoun, head of the CGT taxi union, told The Guardian. “They think they are creating jobs, whereas for every created job there is one that’s destroyed.”

Uber, meanwhile, reportedly emailed its French users, describing the strike as an attack on the market for ride-hailing apps in France and asked its users to lend their support to help ease regulations in the country.

But as Uber well knows, its strategy to make its way in France—and other parts of the world—hasn’t gone over smoothly in the past. If the problem truly is cultural, as it increasingly appears to be, Uber would do well to figure out how to run its business on France’s terms—or risk facing a bumpier road than ever when it comes to trying to take over the world.